Within These Walls
by LarcSakurai
Summary: Sora's 18 and out on his own. When he inherits a house from his uncle, he figures he's getting a bargain. What he didn't bargain on was a bloodstained wall, a cryptic poem, and two restless souls. One of them out for vengeance.
1. The House

Inspired by a story I had wrote at one time and lost and a game my sister was playing all day, I'm really excited to continue work on this. Riku/Sora and Lex/Vex will be seen/mentioned in this story. I hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter I**

**His House**

The paint was peeling off the walls and the windows were caked with decades worth of dust, a testimony of its true age. There was no way this thing had been built within the past twenty years but regardless of the circumstances, Sora was just grateful to have the place. It was his eighteenth birthday present from his aunt, whose husband had just recently passed and thus she came into the house. However, stricken with guilt over the loss of her beloved she couldn't bring herself to move into the home where they had shared so many memories and in turn, entrusted it into Sora's care. It was old and desperately cried out days worth of back breaking work making it into a liveable situation but he was prepared for the worst of it. Nothing was going to seperate him from his new home.

Creak, creak, creak, called the steps as he ascended them, forcing open the door and bursting sunlight into the house. Out the corner of his eye he thought he saw something scurry and he cringed. Well that was wonderful. Traipsing about he threw back the shades and pushed open the old windows fighting him every inch of the way. Dust gagged him in every room and he briefly wondered how long it had truly been since someone lived here. Despite the appearance of the outside, the interior of the house looked relatively well-kept. Perhaps it wouldn't be so hard after all.

He walked up the old steps to the second floor and surveyed everything, familiarizing hismelf with all aspects of the house. It was quaint and set back away from the main settlement on the island but to Sora it was heaven. Someday once he got it all fixed up he'd have to bring his friends here. He knew they'd love it too, once they saw it. He tried the faucets and the tubs ensuring the water was on and functioning before going about beginning his cleaning. He hung his coat on a chair and went about wiping away the dust and dirt from the windows, sunlight streaming in to reward his efforts, bathing everything in a warm summer's glow. This was the perfect way to spend his first week of eternal freedom from school.

Heading back upstairs Sora began to sand down the drawers of an old desk in the corner, sliding open an attachment he supposed served as a tray. A soft flutter caught his attention and when he looked down he saw an envelope. He sat down on the floor and examined it, the aging paper beginning to yellow but there was nothing to indicate any sort of ownership. Opening it he withdrew a paper and upon closer examination determined it to be a poem though, again, there was no signature nor rhyme to uncover the hidden recipient.

Under cover of moon

I watch you softly glow

With golden mane

And emerald eye

Watching me

Slow and deep

As if you might swallow me

Heart and soul and body whole

My beloved prince

Remember clear

The days of then

Unlike the haunting

Times of present

Without you here

My life is feared

To be of naught meaning

This home we shared

This love we held

Cherished as we adored each other

Two children in love

The winds that stole you away

There is no worry

Together we

Forever remain

Within these walls

A wind whipped in through the window and Sora clung to the poem for dear life, unable to shake the cryptic words from his head. He folded it up and stuffed the envelope back into the drawer for later consideration. He had too much to do right now. Picking up the sandpaper he began work again, the tattered wood slowly turning to a smoother surface. The more he worked the less he concentrated, unable to shake the poem from his head. He didn't know why he allowed it to bother him so much and he surmised it must have just been his nerves getting the better of him. He was always with his friends, no matter where he was. This was truly his first time ever living completely alone for an extended period. It would just take some getting used to.

Wiping the sand dust from his hands he turned and headed back downstairs to begin loading in some of his bags. It was nice of Wakka to let him borrow his car to move now that he had gone away to college with Tidus. A little pang of loneliness struck his heart. He sure did miss them now that he thought about it. They were growing up now. Life was going to begin wedging itself deep cracks between he and his childhood friends and it would be up to them to not lose each other. There would be no more days spent sparring and playing tag on the beach, no more evenings of going to bed and anticipating a bright and busy day in school and then going to crowd into the secret place under the tree and talk for hours. There would be no more of that. They were adults now and the sudden realization he was growing up left Sora uneasy.

He hooked up the phone and plopped down on the wood floor, quickly dialing Riku's number. He had to talk to someone now. He hated this uneasiness, this loneliness. He was still so damned innocent, so naiive. He wasn't ready to grow up yet, he realized, and here he was on his own in his first house all by himself. He was scared. He wasn't ready for this.

"Hello?" Riku's voice sounded so much deeper now.

"Riku! It's me, Sora!" It felt so good to hear his best friend's voice again.

"Sora? Hey! Your mom said you finally moved into the old place up the hill. What's it like?" Sora laid back and gazed around his house. His house. How cool it felt to say that.

"It's pretty cool! A little beat up on the outside but everything inside looks really taken care of except for all the dust. But guess what!" he sat up, "I found this old letter in a desk I was sanding."

"Letter?" Riku's voice perked with curiosity.

"Yeah.. it looked like an old poem that never made it to someone. Whoever that was supposed to be. Someone with blonde hair and green eyes." The other line was silent.

"You know anything about the past owners of the house?" Riku suggested.

"Ya know.." Come to think of it, Sora never really did ask. His parents said his aunt and uncle had bought it after the past owners mysteriously disappeared but he found no reason to inquire further. "My aunt did mention there were two people who lived here awhile ago that mysteriously vanished. Maybe that poem was written by one of them?"

"It's a possibility. Look, I'm kinda busy right now. Call me tomorrow and I'll come over and maybe we can figure something out, okay? Take care, man."

"Yeah.. you too." Sora hung up and just laid there, staring up at the matching ceiling. The warm, fuzzy feeling suddenly vanished from inside his chest and he was left once again with unshakeable loneliness. He went into the kitchen and packed away the food he had brought with him, he'd definately need to go shopping later on. For now dinner was a sandwich and some fruit, enough to keep his stomach silent whilst he finished his work. He'd nourish himself better later on but for now he just wanted to feel like he was getting somewhere. The more he did on the house the more that seemed to need reorganizing or fixing and the more overwhelming it became.

Night seemed to fall upon the house quickly, blanketing everything in velvet darkness dimly illuminated by the soft shine of the moonbeams. Sora looked up from where he'd been pulling weeds in the flowerbed in the back and checked his watch, the didgital face reading almost ten. Heaving a sigh he silently congratulated himself on a job well done and headed back into the house, throwing his dirty shirt onto a chair. He'd worry about it tomorrow.

Ascending the stairs he changed into some pajama pants and flopped back on the bed, clicking on a lamp at the bedside. The electricity worked too, that was a relief. He laid back on the bed and wiped the sweat from his brow, his body aching in protest of the long day's work but he desperately needed a shower. Against the screaming persistence of his aching muscles Sora ran a bath and heaved himself into the tub. His eyes fluttered as the hot water instantly relaxed his muscles, taking away all the stress and ache.

Leaning his head back against the tub Sora allowed his mind to drift, recanting everything that he'd done, making a mental to-do list for tomorrow and cringing everytime a new task was added. The odds of him finishing all this within one lifetime appeared insurmountable. He knew he could do it. With determination and a replenished fountain of optimism he could do this. This was his house. His very own first house and he wasn't about to let a little hard work scare him away. All the strife would pay off in the end. The reward would be all the sweeter.

Thump.

Sora jumped, his eyes glued to the door.

Thump.

There it was again.

Thump.

Louder this time...

Thump thump thump.

Sora rose from his bath and quickly pulled on some pants, grabbbing the plunger and beheading it, the remaing stick his ownly defense. He didn't know what was out there but he wasn't about to risk it. He kicked open the door and jumped into the hall, whirling this way and that swinging the stick blindly and shouting. When his tirade ended Sora realized he was swinging at nothing. There was nothing there. Absolutely nothing. He lowered his weapon to the ground and stared down the dark, silent hall. Nothing. It was just his nerves, he reasoned. Yes, just his nerves.

He backed into the bathroom and drained the water from the tub, determing his bath officially over. He'd take one tomorrow when he wasn't so on edge. He was all alone in a foreign setting it was best to be alert and not so vulnerable. Just in case there was anything out there. Just in case. He picked up the stick and tried to click on the hall light, his heart sinking when he got no response. So the hall light didn't work. Great. He picked up a flashlight he had been carrying with him for such an occasion and clicked off the bathroom light. He slowly advanced through the creepy old house, his nerves tightly coiled around themselves. The air around him seemed to shift and the closer he got to the bedroom the colder it seemd to get.

Turning the corner he bolted the last few steps into the bedroom and slammed the doro shut, clicking on the light. Nothing lunged at him from under the bed. No monster made itself apparent in the closet. His heart raced in his chest as he sat down on the bed, a shaking mass of nerves and terror. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready. He wanted to be home with his parents where nothing could get him, where he was safe and warm and secure. He wanted to just curl up and cry.

Forcing back the tears Sora click on a radio next to him and let the smooth croon of midnight jazz wrap him in a blanket of false security. Nothing would get him. He would be okay. He rose up and walked the room, eyesing the ornate icy carvings of the wall border where it met the ceiling. It was rather nice. What caught his attention the most was a large tapestry of a winter snowscape against one of the walls. It looked so out of place with the rest of the room. There were better places Sora determined he could hang it. It would be a nice piece in the living room.

He yanked at the material until it came free from the nails in the wall high above his head. As the cloth slid to the floor with a heavy thud the boy's eyes widened. Hidden by the tapesty was a dark rusty spot, long lines running down the wall to stop abruptly above the floor where someone had tried to clean it before he'd moved in. Reaching out a shaky hand his fingertips grazed the spot, a soft cry escaping him as a violent wind outside shook the walls of the house, the lights flickering and buzzing. Sora dropped to his knees and buried his face in his knees, sobbing in sheer terror. It was blood. Blood hidden beneath the tapestry.

Bounding to the desk Sora ripped out the poem and stared at the last line before lifting his eyes back up to the angry dark blotch against the cream wallpaper. The realization he wasn't alone in this house terrified him. There was someone still in this house. A dead someone. Very possibly the blonde haired green eyed prince spoken of in the very poem he clutched in his shaking hands. Pocketing the paper he grabbed the tapestry and made his way downstairs, cuddling up under the heavy fabric and crying himself into a horrified sleep.

Together we

Forever remain

Within these walls


	2. Residents

(Chapter two of Within These Walls, whoo! I've been having a nice inspiration run with this one so let's hope it holds out until I can finish it, it'd be nice to finally be able to claim I finished one of my multi-chapters XD)

Enjoy!

The soft kiss of sunlight greeted him the next morn, the heavy tapestry having fallen to the floor at some point during the evening. Sora jumped upright and for a moment panicked before the memories of the previous day's events flooded his mind. He'd only been living here one day but it already felt like an eternity. The excitement of having his own home was beginning to lose its novelty with every hour he spent trapped inside. He was grateful for what his family had done for him but he would have liked it to be a little less...haunted. There was obviously something else dwelling alongside him in this house but whatever it was seemed harmless enough.

He shuffled into the kitchen and ransacked the drawers looking for something that would be a suitable breakfast. Checking the fridge he obtained two eggs and some bread, stirring up the fire on the old gas stove. He'd never used a gas stove before but he figured it couldn't be much different from the electric one he had back home. While waiting on the eggs he riffled through the fridge, tossing out two spoiled nearly empty containers of apple juice before finding something that hadn't expired. When he stepped back and surveyed his current food situation it seemed even bleaker than the flowerbed visible out the door leading to the backyard still ravaged by weeds.

Turning off the stove he served his eggs onto a plate, congratulating himself on his first successful meal in the new home. He poured the juice and was just about to sit down to eat when something scurried past his leg. Sora shivered, looking down to stare into the beady little eyes of a small mouse not ten feet away. He then realized in horror that the little vermin's paws were coated in white. Tracing the trail along the floor Sora knelt down and threw open the drawer, jumping back as four more mice scurried away from a now useless bag of flour. Groaning, Sora heaved the bag on his shoulder and tossed it into the outside trash can, coming back to find that his breakfast was now useless as well. The nasty little critters had already made short work of the sunny-side up masterpiece.

"Oh man! So much for breakfast." he whined, tossing the plate into the sink and settling for an apple instead. This was going to be harder than he thought. No matter what everything just seemed to get worse. This house was cursed, he decided. Throwing the core out the window he headed back upstairs to attempt to finish the bath the restless souls had interrupted the previous evening. Taking a cordless phone into the bathroom he once again ran himself a hot bath and tried to mentally divide up the nightmarish list of things to get done. This house needed more than a little tender loving care, an exorcist would be nice. Sora wasn't scared of the ghosts or anything but he wasn't keen on residing with them either.

Riku. He needed to call Riku. He'd always had a knack for this sort of thing, Riku would know what to do. Reaching up he grabbed the phone and punched in his friend's number. If anyone could get to the bottom of this he could.

"Hello?"

"Riku, it's Sora!" He leaned his head back against the tub. "You're good with ghosts and stuff right? You can see them?"

"Yeah... Why?" Sora took a deep breath, trying to think how he would explain last night's events without sounding psychotic.

"Well, I was trying to take a bath yesterday and I heard this thumping noise. So I went out in the hall but there was nothing there. And I keep getting these cold chills and... Riku I really think this place is haunted."

"Really? A haunted house here on the islands?" He sounded skeptical.

"I'm not kidding Riku!" Sora pleaded, "Please.. can you please just try?"

"I'll give it my best. You think this has got something to do with that poem you found?" The poem... That cryptic poem. That was when everything started to go berserk.

"It might. I'll see you when you come over." He hung up and quickly finished his bath, pulling on his clothes and going down to make some sense of the battlefield his kitchen had become. Even in broad daylight he had the sensation of eyes on his back, like he was being scrutinized and observed like some sort of science experiment. Something or someone was watching him. He turned to face the sensation and it disappeared for a moment to reappear behind him. Then it chuckled. Whatever it was, it chuckled. A soft, bemused sort of chuckle. Whatever it was derived a twisted sort of amusement from screwing with him.

A knock at the door jostled Sora back into reality, his heart skipping a beat. Dammit everything was trying to give him a heart attack today. He threw open the door and practically dragged Riku into the kitchen, pointing to where he'd felt the eyes. Riku just stared at him, his best friend pointing accusingly at a stove.

"Your stove is haunted?"

"No!" Sora shook his head, "I felt it in here!" Riku walked around the room, his eyes sliding shut as he stopped in a place then continued on to another one. Sora just stared at his friend, hoping he could come up with a sensible explaination. Riku reached out as if trying to touch something, Sora gripping onto the table as a low tremble started in the floor. The silver haired boy quickly recoiled his hand and the trembling ceased. Sora looked at him expectantly, pleading for some answers. Riku wasn't about to give him any, suddenly bolting out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Sora tailed after him, following his best friend into the bedroom where he stood before the bloodstain.

"This explains alot." he whispered, reaching out his hand to brush over the dark blotch. He slowly stroked the wood paneling then sank his nails into the wood, crying out.

"Riku!" Sora was at his side instantly, pulling him away to stare at the spot where the wall had splintered outward, digging several shards of wood into Riku's hand.

"He's angry..." he whispered. Sora gently pried the little pieces out, his hands shaking.

"W-Why?" Riku motioned with his other hand to the bloodstain.

"There's two residents here... One of them won't cause you much trouble but the other one brims with intense enmity. He's powerful too, I don't suggest messing with him. You need to get out of this house, Sora."

"Riku why is he angry?!"

"Someone was murdered here. Someone very close to him and he's out to get revenge on whoever took his lover away. He'll hurt whoever pisses him off Sora. I almost touched the other man downstairs but I heard this deep, rumbling voice in my head and then my chest started to hurt. He was threatening to kill me. If I hadn't listened he probably would have and he'll kill you too! Sora, you gotta get outta here!" Sora ran to the bathroom and dug for the first aid kid, looking at the wall where he could feel the cold eyes on him again. He couldn't just walk away from this. He inherited this problem and now he had to face it. They deserved to rest in peace too and Sora knew he couldn't imagine what life would be like without Riku.

He returned to the bedroom and bandaged up Riku's hand, looking around the room. This was most likely the room they had shared in life and it unnerved him the more he thought about it. Maybe.. maybe he was being selfish. This was their house after all. He shouldn't have been so hostile earlier and he made a mental note to try and befriend these ghosts before he ended up worse off than Riku.

"If it makes it better," he started, talking to thin air, "I'll stay downstairs if you want. You can have your room." A gentle breeze kicked up, for a moment a cool touch gripped Sora's shoulder and disappeared, the blankets on the bed shifting ever slightly as if a body had just laid down on them. Sora smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. He helped Riku to his feet and they descended the stairs, curling up on the couch. Riku laid his head on Sora's leg, staring at his hand.

"You gotta leave."

"I'm not leaving." he stated matter-of-factly, "This is my problem now too."

"No Sora!" Riku sat up, staring into the striking blue eyes, "He'll kill you. Don't you get it? That spirit's out for revenge and it won't rest until he gets it!"

"I'm sorry Riku... this is something I have to do whether or not I have your help." The two locked eyes, neither side about to back down nor give in. Sora wasn't going to give up on the spirits that dwelled within these walls. All they wanted was peace so they could finally pass on. It would be up to Sora to help them find this peace. Riku's eyes finally broke to look at his hand then to the clock reading almost one in the afternoon.

"Sora.. promise me one thing?"

"Yeah?" Sora looked over, his eyes widening as his breath was suddenly stolen away by a soft, warm mouth pressing agianst his own. His arms shyly coiled around Riku's shoulders, tightening as the taller boy settled himself into his lap, deepening the kiss. A soft noise left Sora and his mind began to numb, allowing himself to be pushed down on his back. They laid there for what seemed like forever but that would have been just fine to Sora. He whimpered as the kiss was finally broke, his heart threatening to race itself out of his chest.

"Be careful. You better tell me about everything that happens and don't leave me out of anything." Sora smiled gently, nodding his agreement.

"Alright. I'll keep you posted." he drew Riku back down against him and they kissed again, minds and bodies numbing as they finally satiated themselves after eighteen years of friendship. For the briefest of moments, the residents imprisoned within the walls cast down their eyes, letting the children cherish each other and make their young love the way they, too, had once done in life.

Sora could still feel the persisting pain as he lay on the couch still naked from the afternoon's copulation, Riku having long gone hours before to be at work on time. If he missed again he'd be fired and Sora didn't want Riku to lose his job over him. The spike-topped youth rolled onto his side and stared around the house, briefly entertaining a thought that terrified him more than facing the vengeance of the dead. There had been little word exchanged during their dance, what if Riku was just playing? What if he didn't care at all and, lost in the heat of the moment as Sora was, didn't think before jumping into it? What if he didn't care at all?

Sora felt the tears prick at his eyes with the sudden realization he didn't know whether or not Riku really liked him or whether this was a one-time fling. He had always had it bad for the other, always chasing him around like a little puppy. Riku teased him all the time for his naivete but late at night when he satisfied himself it was Riku's name that left his lips, Riku's body that melded with his in the heat of a lusting midnight. He did like Riku. Alot. He would dare to go as far as to say he loved the other.

Lifting himself from the couch he pulled on his pants and made himself a silent dinner of a couple sandwiches and more fruit, staring out the window towards the main settlement. He felt like a hermit in this house set back on the hill away from everything. The view was something straight out of a masterpiece, the houses nestled close together in the valley on the shoreline, the moonlight glowing down on the rippling ocean waves. It was absolutely picturesque. Yet immensely lonely with only two dead souls to keep him company.

Ba-bump.

Silence.

Ba-bump.

Silence.

Ba-bump.

Sora whipped around, his eyes darting through the darkness for any sign of the source of the sound. It sounded like a heartbeat. For a moment he mused it could have very possibly been his own. Grabbing his flashlight he clicked the button, the beam flickering for a few seconds before dying completely. Sora felt goosebumps ripple up his arms as he banged the flashlight on his hand trying to coax it to work but to no avail. Running to the wall he flicked up all the light switches. In a chorus of sharp cracks the bulbs throughout the house shattered, clattering to the floor. A cry of terror left Sora and he bolted for a window, trying to throw it open. The latches clicked shut and refused to budge, a violent tremor building beneath his feet.

Backing up Sora shrieked, lifting a foot to find he'd stepped on the shattered blubs. Sitting down on the couch he carefully pried out the broken glass and wrapped his foot in his shirt, his eyes darting around. The trembling grew more violent, the walls shuddering under the massive force shaking them. The windows rattled and clattered, mice skittering in terror with him across the floors to duck into holes and flee to the safety of the outside. Sora looked down at the floor, his eyes widening as the blood droplets that fell from his foot snaked and contorted themselves to combine letters before him. Everything started to shake and shudder more violently like a giant earthquake was ripping the house apart at the seams. The message completed itself, the shards of glass bouncing across the floor from the vibrations of the tremors, sickening cracks as the wood started to bend and snap, his head pounding like two giant hands were crushing his skull. A frozen wind buffeted the house, crashing through the windows and wrapping itself around him, wrenching the massive force away from him. Sora screamed and everything went black.

_**GET OUT!**_

(And that does it for this chapter! I love the way this one came out. The third one has to undergo very heavy revision, I'd work on it tonight but I've been writing almost continuously from 10 until 1 and then from 2 until 5 so my head is about to split open itself XD Trying to get better with suspense so any critique you can give is greatly appreciated. Next chapter I may get to work in some macabre! XD)


	3. The Geneticist

What to say about this chapter.. well I love it and I hate it all at the same time XD  
We got some new appearances in this one!

Thank you to EVERYONE who has read/reviwed/favorited this, I'm so glad to see people enjoying this, it really inspires me to keep running with it.

Enjoy!

_There they laid side by side, cradled in each other's arms. Steel and emerald gazes lingered, their fingers lacing as a kiss was shared. The massive man toyed with the petite one's ring, the smiles upon their faces growing broader, eyes shining lovestruck. Neither spoke nor moved, basking in the warmth of each other's presence and the promises that spread out before them with the younger's kiss of the elder man's diamond. Then the darkness came, thick and suffocating. The blonde cowering back against the wall pleading and begging to an inscrutable figure before him clad in fold of a heavy black coat, moonbeams gleaming off the smooth surface of the pistol nestled between the emerald orbs wide with unshed tears._

_The assailant pushed his head to the wall with the iron, muffled voices debating back and forth. The blonde's body arced back as the other's free hand pushed forward into his stomach, jerking it before withdrawing, fresh blood gleaming off the stiletto's blade. The blonde glared up at the attacker through his hair, gritting his teeth against the pain. From the taller rose a laugh, a deep, maniacal laugh preluding the thunderous boom of a gunshot and the thud of the smaller body hitting the wall and slumping to the floor. Heavy footsteps running up the stairs. A door slamming open. A low, maniacal laugh harmonizing with a deep, agonized scream._

_"EVEN!"_

"RIKU!" Sora bolted upright, cold sweat dripping down his face. Hands shaking he wiped it away, his heart pounding in his chest. He snatched the digital clock from the coffee table, the face reading 5:30. Swinging his legs to the floor he tried to coax himself to stand but the sharp pain in his foot forced him to sit back down. He checked the wounds, wincing as the ugly red marks glared back at him. All around the floor the glass shards still gleamed in the moonlight from the rage of the spirit hours prior. Carefully he forced himself to his feet despite the pain and waddled around to get a broom, cleaning up the rooms by flashlight.

Riku was right. Even now as he sweeped up the last shards of glass and tied up the bag he could feel the eyes still watching him. The shuddering in the floor wasn't barely noticeable, it couldn't be sensed without directly focusing on finding it but the threat that ghost might attack him again with one wrong move was still very real. From room to room he went replacing the few lightbulbs he had brought with him, uneasy by the thought that he could be in for yet another attack. He didn't know how much more of this his nerves could take. He was already beginning to consider abandoning the house and letting sleeping lovers lie but a part of him just couldn't justify it.

Digging through the fridge he made himself another plate of eggs and sat in the company of his flashlight, his hands shaking while he ate. His nerves were on edge. He didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to do. He was all alone in a creepy old house with the spirits of two murdered lovers, one of them out to kill. Now he was having dreams of murder. Why didn't he just leave sooner? Riku was right. He didn't belong here. He didn't fucking belong here. He was going to die here. He was going to perish within these walls.

Setting the dishes in the sink he dressed and stole out the backdoor into the early morning, inhaling the sweet scent of the dew kissed grass. The birds singing in the trees, the whistling of the wind in the trees, the soft crunch of leaves and twigs beneath his feet. The serenity of nature was a welcome relief despite the nightmarish horrors he'd experienced the past two days. He could certainly understand why the two lovers coveted this place. A sharp bark from behind caught his attention and he whirled around, laying his eyes on a huge wolf nestled down in the flowerbed, whining up at him with huge amber eyes nestled between an X shaped mark on its face. Sora just stared at the animal, wondering where it came from.

"Hey boy..." he knelt down and held out a hand, "Hey.. c'mere it's okay." The wolf stared at him, slowly raising to its feet and pawing at the back door, begging to be let into the house. He looked at Sora then to the door and back again as if asking whether ot not he'd be following. Sora rose carefully to his feet, approaching the animal slowly. When the animal was satisfied to know he would be followed it reached up and pushed down the lock on the door, nudging his way inside. Sora's jaw hit the floor. No fucking way. Did he just see what he think he did?

Inside the wolf sat awaiting his arrival, boring holes into him with the liquid amber orbs. Sora reached down and gently pet his head, rising a noise of content from the animal. He checked the other's neck but found no collar or tags but he wasn't so soon to assume him feral. The wolf seemed comfortable around human beings and genuinely seemed to think he belonged in this house. For all Sora knew maybe he did. Stranger things had been happening lately.

"You hungry boy?" Sora asked, scratching under the wolf's chin. The wolf let out a low growl, shaking his fluffy head. Sora's jaw once again fell out of place. Did it truly understand him?

"You understand me?" The wolf nodded. Sora scoffed in disbelief. This animal truly did understand him. Too freaking cool! Sora knelt down on the floor, scratching and petting the wolf's back officially labeling it his new pet. He certainly was lonely and a dog would be perfect for easing the ache. The wolf didn't seem to mind this arrangement either, laying down on his back and bearing his stomach to the boy, his tail thumping the ground happily as he was scratched.

"So.. I guess you'll need a name." At this the wolf jumped to his feet and stopped at the door, pausing to make sure Sora was following. Obeying the wolf's command he rose to his feet and followed the animal through the backyard and deep into the woods. Sora ran faster, stumbling and tripping over the thick undergrowth the animal bounded over with ease. He couldn't recall ever hearing any wolves on the island in all his years of living. As far as he knew there weren't any. But then.. where did he come from?

Coming to rest beside a tree the wolf looked up at Sora and laid down, nuzzling the leaves aside on the ground. A sinking feeling settled inside Sora as he knelt down at the base of the tree. The gnarled roots tangled up to a huge scar in what once may have been a hole in the tree but had been long sealed with dirt and cement. Carved into the stone bore an inscription almost illegible from weathering.

R.I.P.

Saïx

5/4/1989

Sora looked down at the wolf nestled down beside him staring at the tree with sad eyes. As if he understood he should not have been here. As if he longed to return to the sanctuary of death. As if he, too, was a prisoner of this nightmare seeking freedom from the darkness. Sora reached down to pet Saïx, his heart aching for the poor animal. He could only surmise the animal had belonged to the lost lovers and wouldn't rest until the souls of his beloved masters could finally pass on. Loyal in life and beyond.

Sora rose and clicked his tongue, tapping his leg to tell Saïx it was time to go. The wolf obeyed him, nuzzling his hand as if seeking comfort as they slowly made their way back home. Sora forced himself to smile, trying to be optimistic even in the face of a very dismal circumstance. At least they wouldn't be alone anymore. Breaking the edge of the forest, Sora felt the fluff on Saïx's back bristle, his lips pulling back to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth. The boy recoiled from the wolf as fur raised, eyes dilated, he slowly advanced forward. Sora followed his gaze and wrapped his arms around the animal in an attempt to deter him from ripping the newcomer apart.

Liquified amber flickered with amusement from beneath fine silver locks chuckling as he advanced, black and white long coat billowing at his ankles. Saïx snarled and snapped, Sora throwing all his weight on the animal to keep him from mauling this stranger. Whoever it was Saïx apparently determined wasn't welcome. Something about him bothered Sora as well. There was something about this man he couldn't find in himself to trust.

"I'm sorry." he apologized while wrestling the wolf into submission. "He's not normally like this." The newcomer watched the animal and shook his head.

"You have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?" he held out a hand towards Saïx and in a sharp, commanding tone ordered, "Down!" Immediately Saïx fell to the ground and laid docile though his snarling refused to cease. Sora just stared at him. Who was this guy?

"Uhh.. I-I just found him." The silver haired man rose a skeptical eyebrow.

"Of course you did. Your'e Sora, yes? The boy that moved in here two days ago?" He nodded.

"Yeah but.. who are you? And how'd you do that? And what do you know about Saïx?" The taller man shook his head and headed for the door.

"We'll speak inside." He pulled the door open, stumbling back as it swung open full force and cracked him in the head, a thin line of blood dripping from a splinter dug deep in the skin. Sora's eyes widened, runnign to the man's aid.

"S-Sorry... uhh.. I'll have to get that door fixed." He could feel the ground trembling again and the air hung almost stagnant with a chill. Apparently the ghosts didn't like him anymore than Saïx did. Sora escorted the other into the kitchen and got him a cotton ball. Beneath his feet the floorboard sank in and he tumbled to the floor, slamming his head against the hardwood, clenching his eyes shut against the white-hot pain. The stranger reached down and helped Sora into a chair.

"So.. who are you?"

"Xehanort." he replied, wiping the blood from his forehead, "I was an...acquaintance of the former owners of this house in life." Sora nodded then quickly decided that repeating that probably wasn't a good idea.

"What did you mean out there? About Saïx?" Xehanort chuckled, looking down to the snarling beast in question.

"Didn't you know?" his voice rose as if astounded the other was missing out on the news, "one of them was reknowned for his work with genetics. That animal there was his greatest accomplishment before his unfortunate death. Saïx was created to be absolutely obedient to his masters, which at the time was Even, of course, and his lover, Aeleus. I had been funding Even's research. The man was capable of things I had never seen done and I could see he had the potential to become even greater. I was not about to let such talent slip away.

"However, as we know, Even was killed back in 1989 at the tender age of 26. They never caught his killer despite the efforts of his lover to track down the bastard responsible. His body has yet to be found as well. Later that night, Aeleus passed away as well. I had expected Saïx had run away or passed along with his masters but it seems he has returned from wherever he'd been." Sora was silent, staring at Xehanort as he processed all this information. He certainly didn't seem very remorseful for the death of someone that was supposedly so wonderful. Of course it had been nearly ten years since the murder and they were only on a more business level.

"So, what did you come here for?" Sora asked, reaching down to pet Saïx.

"To reminisce. I spent many a night in this house as well helping Even complete his experiments. And I wanted to see if I could perhaps meet the young boy I was told lived here. The house appears to be in good hands." Sora nodded.

"Yeah, I'm taking good care of it. But..." he looked at Xehanort, "You said you were here helping Even with his stuff? I've cleaned all over and I haven't found anything that looked like it could be some secret lab." Xehanort rose and strode into the living room with Sora at his heels, coming to rest beside the stairs. He ran his hands along the paneling as if searching for something. Beneath his hand a section of the wood pushed in and he slipped his fingers under the wood. A frown creased his face, pulling on the wall but it stayed stationary. He hit the wall and screamed, the piece he'd pushed in ocming forward to trap his fingers.

Sora ran over and tried to push the piece but it refused to give. The floor rumbled and shook, blood dripping down Xehanort's swollen red fingers. Saïx jumped back and forth, snarling and barking, going berserk as the shaking intensified. The rumbling jarred Sora's sore head, his heart pounding in his ears. Xehanort struggled to free his fingers, trying to wiggle them free as they bled on the coat sleeve. Sora shoved with all his might on the latch and it finally sank into the wall, releasing ths fingers. They were bleeding and swollen red and purple, limp the sudden lack of circulation. The trembling in the house ceased and the berserk wolf went quiet, the only sound being Sora's terrified pants.

Xehanort silently wrapped his hand in the folds of his coat and looked at Sora whose eyes were locked on the smeared blood dripping down the paneling. The taller man rose to his feet and guided the trembling boy away, looking up at the ceiling with a malicious smirk.

"Sora, I thank you for your hospitality. We shall meet again.." Sora watched after the other as he went for the front door, nearly getting whacked in the face with this one as well. He stole to the window and watched for the other to be out of sight before rounding on Saïx curled up by the stairs.

"There's something there, isn't there boy?" Sora knelt down next to the wall and depressed the panel, resting his forehead against the wood. It was ridiculous to try this after what had just occured but he knew that whatever lay beyond this wall was sacred to the residents. Something that could very well be the key to fulfilling their lost purpose.

"I won't let him in here. Please.. let me in? I just want to help you." Sora stared at the bloody wall for a few silent moments before finally a click was heard. He slipped his fingers under the paneling and brushed a small lock, flipping it and tugging, the door was revealed. Darkness and the bitter stench of decay suffocated him as he pushed the door open, waving his trusty flashlight down the dark descent. Saïx paced back and forth at the entrance, whining like a lost puppy.

Sora rose to his feet and looked at Saix as he took a tentative first step down. "Saïx, guard the door okay?" he waited for the beast to plop himself in front of the door before continuing the spiral downward. His fingers slid along the grimy wall down to a wooden railing, following it all the way down to stand before a stone door, an intricate snowflake carved into it. He felt around for some kind of control mechanism but to no avail. He searched around, running his fingers over the carving of a wolf head at the bottom of the rail which he found was able to open. Pushing the button in he jumped to the side, watching the heavy stone door groan open. This was kind of fascinating albeit absolutely creepy.

Standing in the doorway Sora surveyed the room which appeared to be some sort of underground laboratory. Bookshelves lined the walls on one side, some books scattered across a dusty old table where a white lab coat hung on a chair. Tables protruded from other walls lined with beakers and vials caked with substances long since evaporated replaced by varieties of mold. In a far corner a refirgerator hummed, most likely containing specimens of some sort. Sora slowly coaxed himself in, curiosity replacing the native fear. He left the door open and began his exploration, feeling around for a light switch which he located on a central support pillar. The lab looked even creepier when it was bright. Cobwebs clung to everything and the smell of mold and mildew was asphyxiating. Still, an abandoned old lab in his basement warranted further investigation.

Slowly he made his way around, flipping through old books with brittle pages, dusting off tables and stuffing all the disgusting moldy glass obects in a sink. The water worked when he ran it, the pipes rattling in protest after sitting unused for who knows how long. He turned it off and wiped his hands on his pants, poking around the books discarded on the back corner table. The pages were long since yellowed and stained with water dripping down from the ceiling but he could decipher enough to determine the volumes primarily focused on genetics and heridity.

He then turned his investigation to the fridge which revealed a managerie of substances crammed into bottles and cups and bowls, all distinctly labeled and organized. He picked up a few and tried to decipher what they were supposed to be, some of them more disturbing and finding some were rather intimate than others upon locating a cup labeled 'A's donation' on a small vial containing a sticky white substance. He set the 'donation' back into the bowl from whence it came and shut the fridge, wiping his hands on his pants. Curiosity officially sated.

Plopping down on a chair back in the corner he checked the coat, hoping to uncover more about Even. From one pocket he withdrew several pieces of paper that practically disintegrated in his touch and some munny. From the other pocket he withdrew a small ring which he may have mistaken for a woman's size had he not been informed both residents were male. It was a simple gold band inset with a shining diamond and upon closer examination Sora found it to be engraved: E&A 5/4/1989.

Beneath Sora's feet the floor began to softly tremble, the walls shuddering as if hands were shaking them free from the foundation. Sora's eyes widened, setting the ring down and bolting for the door groaning shut on the other side of the room.

"Wait!" he clawed at it as it locked back in place, pounding on the heavy stone. The house was still shaking, all the glass objects rattled preluding a chorus of shattering as several fell to the tiled floors. Sora's heart raced, the air thicker and heavy on his shoulders. The lightbulbs blew above him and he screamed. A massive weight pushed him against the stone door, holding him there as the house continued to shake. Fat, hot tears rolled freely down his cheeks as his chest tightened, being crushed beneath an invisible weight. He struggled in vain, his arms plastered to the wall, the unseen force pushing his legs apart to keep from from kicking. He coughed as he gasped for breath, the sudden thought he was going to die down here flashing through his head.

"AELEUS!" Sora's head snapped up as the weight suddenly left him and he crumpled to the floor, oxygen rushing into his lungs and gagging him. The house stilled and the tremors ceased, a chill air enveloping Sora. He looked around but found he was still completely alone and he wondered if he just imagined the voice. The boy froze as the soft tap-tap-tap of someone writing on the chalkboard in the back, once covered with complicated formulas and brilliant musings now spelled out a pleading message. HELP AELEUS.

"Aeleus?" Sora croaked out the name, "Y-your lover?" A chill wind shook the contents on a table, a picture frame clattering to the floor. Rising to his jelly legs Sora dragged himself across the room and lifted up the frame, shaking out the broken glass and gently removing the picture. Two men stared back at him, both probably in their early or mid twenties. One was a gaunt blond with sharp, defined green eyes and high cheekbones clad in the lab coat that was probably the one now forgotten on the chair. The man he'd seen die in the nightmare. The other he supposed was the man in question, a giant crowned with thick rusted curls and bottomless steel eyes cradling the fragile other in his massive arms. Their fingers were laced, suggesting the nature of their relationship and on the blonde's finger he wore the same ring Sora had found. Along the bottom of the wooden frame was a small golden plate bearing the inscription: Even and Aeleus, 26 and 24, 5/4/1989.

Across the room the door click and groaned back open to reveal the dark ascension back upstairs. Even had no intention of keeping him down here. Sora put the picture back in the frame and tucked it under his arm and then grabbed the ring as well. He was slowly beginning to understand the events that transpired here years ago and the nature of the beast he was dealing with.

Saïx bolted down the staircase and into the room, disappearing into a back corner. Sora rose and, against better judgement, went to go see what had distracted the wolf. The huge blue mass of fluff sat by the wall and scratched at the grimy stone, whining and whimpering as if someone was on the other side. Sora clicked his tongue and called for the dog to follow him but he refused to budge from the wall.

Setting down the picture and ring on a table Sora ran his hand over the wall, feeling yet another stone give way and he slid open the chamber. Bile rose in his throat and he couldn't fight it. The stench of death gagged him, his vision blurring, unable to tear his eyes from the grotesque sight before him. The mangled blonde locks stuck to the bloody decomposing face, what remained of the once brilliant scientist crawling with assortments of bugs. Fishing line was buried into the flesh of his bound wrists. His stomach sported a huge gash and a bullet hole set between his eyes, explaining the bloody mess on the upstairs bedroom wall. Sora sobbed as he vomited again, feeling his head get light, his chest wrenching painfully. The darkness finally took him away as he passed out, unable to stomach anymore.

Saïx pushed the chamber shut and came to rest beside the boy finally shocked into sleep. It looked upon the grave with lone, sad eyes as it mourned his dearly departed friend. He looked to the boy fussing on the ground beside him then back to the chamber. He tipped back his head and howled.

He would be the one to free them their prison within these walls.

(And that concludes chapter 3 of Within These Walls. Like it? Hate it? I love to hear from everyone. Chapter 4 has not even been started yet, I need to fish up an idea for it first)


	4. Aeleus

(The highly anticipated chapter 4! This has been absolutely awesome for me to write and everyone's encouragement has been a tremendous boost to get it finished. Another attempt at macabre in this chapter as well. Thanks and enjoy!)

_He folded up the paper and stuffed it into the envelope, tears streaming slow trails down his cheeks. He was completely alone now. That bastard had robbed him of his only reason to live. His beloved Even. Not even Saïx had been spared. He was all that remained of their little family. The only legacy left of the beautiful life they had started to form. Envy had stolen away his prince, his dog, his very breath. Existence became meaningless. Gently kissing the envelope he opened the drawer and slid it up underneath. Rising from his chair he headed downstairs and into the confines of the lab. _

_The damp darkness had never bothered him before but now, as he descended the stairs alone, everything felt bitter and empty. His gaze traveled slowly around the lab, his mind casting torturing illusions of his love hunched over books, ruffling through specimens, bent over a table looking at him with hot, needy eyes. His heart screamed as he knelt down at the back study table, withdrawing the diamond engagement ring from his pocket. He had his loyal hound to thank for its safe return, hiding it away before meeting his own untimely end._

_Kissing the diamond he dropped it into the pocket of his love's lab coat, burying his nose into the soft fabric and inhaling, a choking sob leaving him as he basked in the fresh scent of his lost love. He would avenge him, he swore, and he'd destroy anyone who got in his way. No one would stop him from getting his revenge. Lifting up the table he reached down and pulled open the leg, hitting a switch in the bottom of it. His lover was brilliant, trusting no one with the secrets of his discoveries lest they fall into the wrong hands and be wrongfully used. Hands like those of his killer. Picking up the book Aeleus leafed through it, picking up a pen and scribbling something on the back cover before tucking the book back into its hiding place. _

_"You will be avenged my love..."_

"Sora!"

A voice...

"Sora! Sora snap out of it!"

Whose voice...?

"Sora!"

...Riku?

"Sora...babe wake up!"

"Wha..?" Sora's eyes fluttered open, staring into the bright green eyes of his best friend and one night stand. He sat up and looked at Riku, a nudging wet nose of the resident wolf catching his attention.

"Hey Saïx." he ruffled the animal's soft blue fluff, unable to shake the image of Even's dead body from his mind. Who brought him down there? And if his body was here then where was Aeleus's? His discoveries only wrought more questions than he had answers for. Riku handed him a glass of water, looking at him with genuinely concerned eyes.

"What happened down there? This wolf came to my house this morning and by to, I mean waltzed in like he owned the place and sat there barking and snarling at my bedroom door until I came out." Sora couldn't repress a soft chuckle, setting aside the water and petting Saïx.

"That's Saïx... He was some wolf created by Even, one of the guys that lived here. I..." his voice got real quiet and he shuddered at the thought again, "I found Even's body."

"You serious?" Riku looked afraid to inquire, "Where...?" Sora pointed towards the secret door.

"Down there.. There's this big laboratory in the basement down there. His body was... hidden in the wall. Kind of like that Poe story we read in English our freshman year." Riku followed his gaze over to the door, a thundering rumble shaking the house. Someone wasn't happy.

"Sora.. you gotta get out of here please." Riku pleaded, looking around the house as if it would collapse at any given moment. Sora shook his head fervently, his grip on the wolf's head tightening. Exasperated, Riku leaned back on the couch and looked at him.

"Okay then. What do you suggest we do?" Sora opened his mouth to answer but shut it. Now that he really thought about it he had no idea. He touched his pocket where the poem was still tucked away and he knew the ring and picture were still in the basement. No matter what had happened down there the night before he knew he would have to confront it again. He had to check out that book Aeleus had shown him in the dream. There was something in there vital to the situation he just didn't know what.

"We gotta go to the basement." Sora stated as he started for the door. "Aeleus came to me in a dream last night looking real sad. He went into the lab and pulled out this book from this really secret place. There's gotta be a reason Even hid it!" Riku just watched him skeptically as they descended down the spiral stairs and into the basement.

"Really good security." he mumbled as Sora worked the lock on the second door.

"There's gotta be a reason Even hid that book." Sora repeated, bounding over to the table. Saïx pushed past Riku and went to a back wall, bouncing back and forth barking. Riku tailed Sora and watched in amazement as he tripped the secret compartment on the table, slipping the book out its hiding spot. He set it on the table and blew off the dust, coughing as it scattered about. Riku came over to look with him, the volume entitled simply: Saïx. Sora flipped open the back cover and looked down at the hurried script he supposed Aeleus had written.

Saïx knows. Sora looked over to where the wolf was bouncing back and forth by the back wall, barking and whining as he was continually ignored. Sora looked through the book, his head whirling as a mass of intricate and complicated scientific information assaulted his simple mind all at once. Attached to pages throughout the book were pictures of what appeared to be a developing canine body labeled in the appropriate chronological stages. He showed it to Riku, trying to see what the other made of it.

"These must be his notes when he created Saïx." Riku shut the book and gave it back to Sora. "Apparently the dog knows something." Sora stared down at the book as Riku went over to rejoin the bouncing canine, gazing at the book intently. Aeleus wanted him to find this. He trusted Sora enough to show him the key to putting them to rest. Setting the book on the table he joined Riku over by the wall, kneeling down to Saïx's level.

"Okay boy..." he motioned to the sturdy wall. "What's the trick?" Saïx rose up on his back paws and felt along the wall, nudging different bricks and then looking to Sora. Sora nodded, the bricks giving way under his fingers as he pushed them in the sequence Saïx directed. Behind the wall the sound of a lock giving way click and apart of the wall swung open to reveal yet another hidden door. Sora and Riku just looked at each other, Saïx inviting himself into the new chamber. This house was just full of surprises.

The rancid stench of death grew stronger and stronger as they walked down the passage, a faint buzzing growing louder and louder. Sora felt his resolve weaken and his stomach churn the closer he got to the end. he wanted to turn and run, he didn't know how much more he could take. He could feel Riku shaking beside him, the other grabbing his hand and squeezing searching for any kind of false security. Sora coughed, the putrid stench gagging him as they came to the doorway, his eyes widening.

Saïx sat at the base of a huge machine Sora could only assume at once served as the hound's incubation chamber, nudging the limp foot of a giant decaying body resting against what remained of the glass walls. Maggots wriggled in gaping holes where the man's flesh had been torn or burned away, flies crawling in the empty eye sockets and bullet wounds filling the air with their wild, feverish buzzing. Sora sank to his knees and vomited again, coughing and whimpering as tears assaulted his eyes, flowing like waterfalls down his cheeks. This wasn't the way he had wanted to have his question answered.

Riku stood rooted, unable to tear his eyes away from the grotesque sight of Aeleus's remains. His hand clapped over his mouth in a futile attempt to keep his own stomach down. He'd seen plenty of horror movies in his time but nothing could have prepared him for this. He didn't dare move his jelly legs, afraid of collapsing and never being able to stand up again. This was too heinous. How could any man do this and just leave the bodies to rot? He looked down to Sora, the other's striking blue eyes shining with tears.

Slowly the other picked himself up and approached the body, drawing out a shaking hand to touch the broken glass. The odor gagged him even more up close but he refused to move. He wouldn't let whoever did this get away with it. he would avenge both the fallen lovers. He wouldn't let it end this way.

"Sora... we gotta go." Riku whimpered, "Please let's just go! We can't save them!"

"You're wrong!" Sora rounded on the other, stumbling as he backed away from the body. "You're wrong! Someone has to do something! We can't let it end this way!"

"They don't want help, Sora! They're going to kill you!" Riku pleaded, grabbing the other's arm, "You're going to end up like them!" Sora shoved his hand off, shaking his head.

"No!" the house started to shake, "No!" The waves of tears choked him. Everything burned. His head hurt so bad. The house shook more and more, louder and louder until it filled his head and threatened to deafen him. His heart pounded... he was so scared.

"I'm sorry Sora..." Riku backed toward the doorway. Saïx was snarling and barking, going insane. He swung back at the wolf, screaming as his hand hit the door instead. "I'm sorry.." Sora watched as Riku ran back up the hallway, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was alone now too. It would be up to him to solve this. A low, angry growl boiled in Saïx's throat, the wolf tearing up the pathway back into the main lab. Sora looked back over his shoulder at Aeleus and bolted up after the wolf, smacking the bricks on the wall until he found the one that shut it.

Slumping to his knees Sora dried his eyes, wiping away the tears angrily. It would be up to him to solve this. It was up to him to save Even and Aeleus. Rising to his feet he went over to where the ring and picture had been discarded yesterday before he passed out, blinking when he found them missing. Striding over to the table where he'd left the secret log he, in its stead, found the broken picture of the two lovers staring back at him. Something wasn't right.

"I find I must thank you, Sora. You've been a great help." Sora whirled around, facing the black coated man from the first nightmare holding the book in his hand, Even's ring snug around his finger.

"Give that back!" Sora shrieked, bolting after the man. Out the corner of his eye was the gleam of light off iron and he froze, the stranger settling the barrel right between his eyes. Sora felt his heart run cold, a whimper of fear escaping him. Even's killer...

"Who are you?!" he demanded, And why did you kill them?!"

"I killed them because Even was a threat to me and Aeleus was, quite simply, in my way. You see, Even and I were both scientists some years ago and we both were funded under a man by the name of Ansem. Even was brilliant. Perhaps too brilliant. No matter what I did he never failed to invent or concoct something better than me. At the time, Ansem funded both of us but I was growing tired of this new boy's success. I tolerated him for the longest while until he decided he was going to attempt to create a genetically engineered life form.

"Ansem was skeptical at first but Even assured him he knew his bounds. He was not trying to play God, or so he claimed but he very must still was. He was not trying to create human life, he was going to start with something simple. A wolf. But not just any wolf. A wolf with the capabilities of understanding and comprehending human speech. Needless to say I felt threatened by him. So late into the project I snuck into his lab and tried to do away with the animal but Even discovered my attempt to sabotage him and Ansem cut my funding immediately."

"So you killed him to get back at him..." Sora growled, feeling the terror within him slowly being replaced by enmity.

"You're a smart kid." the man crooned, cocking the gun. "Aeleus tried to interfere with me. His persistence into investigating his lover's murder was beginning to get dangerously close to unveiling me as the perpetrator. So of course I had to kill him too."

"YOU'RE SICK!" Sora screamed, hot and angry tears biting the corners of his eyes.

"Perhaps I am." he droned, reaching up to toy with the hem of his hood. "I suppose I could let you in on one more little secret." Sora's eyes widened as the thick black material fell back and silver locks cascaded free to spill down his shoulders, liquefied amber glinting with the maniacal amusement of a cold-blooded murder.

Xehanort...

(Mwahahahaha! I was debating about leaving it at the 'one more little secret' line and then revealing the killer the next chapter but.. nah I'll let it start off the way I originally had it planned. Hope you're all enjoying it thus far! Chapter 5, the last chapter, has been written. Reviews are always greatly appreciated, you guys have been awesome!)


	5. Eternal Slumber

(The final chapter of Within These Walls has finally arrived! How many of you guessed Xehanort's involvement? This has been a pleasure to me to write and I'm glad so many of you have enjoyed this. Enjoy the last installment!)

"So sorry it had to come down to this." Xehanort crooned, pushing the cold steel against the teen's forehead, "But you know too much. I cannot risk exposure now." Sora let out a terrified whimper, clenching his eyes shut. He stood there shaking, the floor mirroring his terrified trembling and he wondered whether it was him disturbing the floor or a message from the residents. A vicious snarl was the answer to his prayer, Saïx lunging at the assailant and sinking fangs deep into flesh. Sora screamed as the shot rang out, a shock of pain ripping through his cheek. He clapped a hand to it and ducked behind a table watching in horror as the ghostly wolf wrestled the attacker to the floor, blood coating his bristled fur. His eyes darted around the lab, looking for anything to help Saïx.

Xehanort pulled himself to his feet, pointing the gun back at Sora and firing. He ducked behind the lab table, his heart racing in his chest. He could still hear Saïx snarling and the tearing of clothing as the wolf mauled the murderer, Xehanort growling and screaming as the animal tore him apart. Gunshots rang out but the assault continued, the enraged beast shaking of the bullets like flies. Sora jumped to his feet and jumped on Xehanort's back, locking and arm around his throat. Nails scratched at his arm as they stumbled, the house shaking and shuddering, pulling apart the floorboards. Sora grabbed the fingers clawing at him and yanked off Even's ring, letting go as his grip finally gave way and hitting the floor. Xehanort went down as he stepped back, pulling frantically at the leg now trapped between the newly rejoined boards, blood pouring out of the splintered flesh.

Saïx kicked the gun away from Xehanort and lunged at him, Sora's gut wrenching at the crack of the other's ribcage snapping beneath the wolf's massive paws landing on him. Footsteps caught his attention behind him and he whirled around to face Riku, the boy clenching a metal bat in his hand. He gave Sora a meager smile, shaking his head at the other's astounded face.

"Riku..."

"Hey, you didn't really think I'd make you do this alone did you?" Tears flowed down Sora's cheeks as he nodded, stuffing the recovered ring into his pocket.

"Let's end this." A cold wind brushed Sora's hand, pulling him over to the nearby lab table. A cabinet door beneath it shuddered and rattled, Sora tugging on it and snapping the rusted lock. Inside he found a container of gasoline labeled 'lawn mower' covered in cobwebs. Shaking away the spiders he uncapped the lid and ran over to where Xehanort struggled against Riku and Saïx, the man's efforts fading as the pool of blood beneath him thickened.

"Watch out!" he dumped a generous amount on the trapped murderer and pushed the jug into Riku's arms.

"Around the lab?" he asked already starting to pour it around the walls and throw it over everything.

"Yeah, hurry! Leave some for the stairs!" Sora shoved through the supplies until he found a box of matches, pocketing it. Sora met up at the door with Riku then turned to Saïx, his whistle drowned by the gurgled scream of their prisoner as the wolf ripped his throat out, bright crimson coating his muzzle. Riku tugged Sora up the staircase, pausing long enough to let his friend lose his stomach. Saïx kept pace with them, nuzzling Sora's hand in apology for him having to have witnessed that.

They burst from the front door and Sora pulled out of Riku's arms. He withdrew the cryptic poem from his pocket and gave a little smile. They wouldn't be trapped within these walls anymore. Saïx snatched the paper from his hand and nuzzled the box as if demanding he hurry up and light a match. Sora did as told, his hand shaking as he held it out for the wolf to take. Saïx jumped up and licked Sora's cheek, staring into his eyes as if thanking him for everything. Thanking him for finally gracing them with the eternal slumber and freeing their lost souls. Snatching the match the wolf bolted back inside. Sora tore across the lawn and hid behind a tree with Riku, their fingers lacing tightly.

An explosion shook the ground as the flames roared up from the basement, engulfing everything in a blood red glow.

Sirens screamed through roar of the inferno as fire engines from the main settlement raced towards the secluded hill.

Those present on the scene of the blaze that day will forever claim they saw within the depths of the flames the silhouette of a wolf.

--+one week later+--

A soft chill settled itself over the graveyard that night as two teenage lovers strode hand in hand along the rows of stones honoring those whom had passed from this world. Sora withdrew from his pocket a simple diamond band, the moonlight shining off the facets. Riku offered him a small smile, bringing his hand to his lips. They had but one more thing to do before Even and Aeleus could truly rest in peace. One more key to seal their eternal freedom.

They strode off the beaten path to kneel down beneath the branches of a cherry blossom tree where the headstones lay nestled together. Riku let go of Sora's hand, nodding for the other to do what he had to do. Sora dug his fingers into the earth between the tombstones, pushing the ring down under the soil and covering it back up. Not even death could pull them apart.

"Think they've moved on?" Sora asked, leaning into Riku's chest. A cool wind blew into the cemetery, the two boys looking back in instinct. Beneath the moonlight they stood, Aeleus's massive arms wrapped around Even's shoulders. The blond held out his hand and the moonlight glowed around his finger, the ring appearing back where it belonged. A broad smile crossed Aeleus's face and they kissed, wed beneath the moonbeams. Sora couldn't help but smile at them. Riku gathered Sora tightly in his arms, blinking as he reached up to catch something floating in the air. He chuckled when he realized what it was, holding it down for Sora to see.

The edges were slightly charred but the rest had remained intact, the smiling faces of the two lovers staring back at them. At the bottom of the picture two words had been written in an elegant, flowing script: Thank you. Sora looked back up but they were gone as quickly as they'd came. Pocketing the picture he wrapped his arms around Riku's waist and the two boys shared a soft kiss before starting off for home.

"I think they did." Riku whispered. Sora nodded, listening to the soft howl of a wolf echoing over the distance.

"I think they did too."

(And that concludes Within These Walls. Love it? Hate it? Thank you to all the wonderful people who read, favorited, and reviewed this and to all those yet to come. You have all been amazing and made writing this a pleasure for me. Hope you all enjoyed it!)


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